Miss Billy

d been playing to him, she turned to find him testing the suppleness of his injured arm. Several times, failing to

but more and more frequently these days Billy found him hovering over his sketches in his studio; and once, when he f

imprison within notes a tantalizing melody, captured the trua

his feet and hurried to meet her, his face radiantly aglow;

ight! I just picked up a crayon and-" He stopped abruptly, his eyes on Billy's face. A vaguely troubled shad

d at her husband without speaking.

ted across the room, picked up a palette, and a handful of brushes from the long box near it. Advancing toward her husband she held

aughed sh

y," he began; bu

s speeding up-stairs, ta

ongs to his Art before he does to you. Kate and everybody says so. And you-you expected him to tend to you and your silly little song

urprise, coming around the turn of the balustrade i

eared suddenly, and she laug

ed. "I was just-just administering first aid to the in

n she mean by that?" puzzled Uncle Wi

he old sparkle came back to his eye, the old gay smile to his lips. Now that they had come back Billy realized what she had not been conscious of before: that for several weeks past they

also, and to Aunt Hannah she showed a smiling countenance; and because she could not talk to anybody else of her feelings, she t

his appointment with her for a walk. "Just because you have had his constant attention almost every hour since you were married is no reason why you sh

lling him to do it. It's only that he's so-so pleased to do it. He

! For shame! A fine artist's wife you are. It seems Ka

hen, from under her fingers there fell a rollicking melody that seemed to fill the room with little dancing feet. Faster and faster

il

morning, after all. "Billy!" called the voice again. "Please, do you mind stopping that playing just for a little while? I'm a brute, I know, dear, but my brush will try to keep time with that crazy little tune of

but her voice, when she spoke, was t

of course

wouldn't," sighed Bertr

ionless before she glanced at her

sa?" she called when the op

gory, the

Greggory-M

Yes

her to come to the

hich Billy's small, well-shod foot

called then. "Are you going

yes; yes

'll play duets, sing-anyt

rkwright is he

spoke with renewed firmness. "I'll be there right away. Good-by." And she

g wife feverishly, as she hurriedly prepared for departure. "But I'll make it up to them l

veled in a sonorous wilderness of new music to her heart's content. Then, rested, r

in her own room; "and now I'll go find Bertram. Bless his he

or anywhere in the house. Down-stairs in the dining-room Pete was found looking rather white, lea

rward with a sta

sick?" she cried, her glance e

gan to arrange the knives and forks. "It's just a pesky pain-be

head. Her eyes were on Pet

sick," she protested

erect. The color had begun

ty years, an' I've got a sort of notion that nobody can do it

is it? How long

y, when it does come, it sort o' takes the backbone right out o' my knees, and they double up so's I have

ess still

murred, with a slow shake of her

at the doctor had told him. In fact, he stubbornly refused to believe wha

Miss-ma'am, but I don't thin

she smiled and turned away. Th

. Bertram g

e o'clock. He said he

All r

the telephone

mistress, as she turned

ice that answered h

r cleared his throat a little nervously, and began all over again. "The fact is, Billy, I've run across a couple of old clas

ught her breath with a little gasp and tried to sp

ice was very high-pitched and a little

lonesome?" Bertram's vo

ourse

tle girl," came Bertram's anxious

and leave her to herself! As if she were going to own up t

at high-pitched, shaky treble. Then, before Bertram could an

nner; but she had only one minute in which to try to efface the woefully visi

r? Dinner's ready. Did

threw open the door; but she did not meet Uncle William's eyes. Her he

observed William, with cheerful nonchal

d preferred to dine with old classmates rather than with herself. Now she found in William's face, not pity, but a calm, even jovial, acceptance of the situation as a mat

day experience. Maybe he expected it to occur frequently-every night, or so. Doubtless he did expect it to occur every night,

arkle, Billy marched into the dinin